Chapter 8 – Love Bites Back

We stared at each other for an immeasurable amount of time, before he spoke.

"Okay, I'm here. What do you want to talk about?" He leant against the door frame, looking like Adonis.

"Alice hates me?" Let's get that cleared up.

You hate her anyway. The voice snarled.

"That's what you wanted to talk about?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, but I thought of asking whilst I was here. Why haven't you been to see me?"

"I've been busy." He simply stated.

"Doing what?"

"Twenty questions?"

"No. With twenty questions you have to answer. Clearly you are avoiding informing me of anything I ask about." I raised an eyebrow. Why was this entertaining me?

"You've never been unobservant." He stated with a smirk on his face.

"I see." I got up from the couch, and walked towards him. I stopped in front of the closed door, my hand on the handle, shoulders level with him. I turned my head to the side and looked him in the eyes. "You can read my mind?" He nodded yes once, not breaking eye contact. "Then read it now."

If you want to talk, you'll know where to find me.

"And where is that?" He simply asked, his velvet voice caressing my ears.

"You'll work it out." I smiled at him, and walked down the two flights of stairs, ignoring the stares of the Cullens as I walked out the front door.

***

I sat on a rock, placed here by myself, studying a small mouse I had managed to catch. Its eyes were wide, nose twitching. It didn't try to escape once it was in my hand. The mouse had sense; its instincts told it it couldn't out run me, and it was right. I had been sat on the same rock for two hours, and I wondered if he would come. The sun was starting to set, and the meadow looked more beautiful than ever. I hadn't been here since I was human, and I was surprised Edward hadn't either. I couldn't smell his scent on any of the surroundings. The last person to pass through here was a human around two weeks ago. I looked up as I caught a silhouette in the trees.

Edward? I called in my head. No answer. I spoke aloud this time.

"Edward?" The mouse struggled in my grip. The person stepping out from the trees surprised me, and I dropped the mouse. I heard it thud as it landed, and then scurry away. Rosalie was staring at me. She was as beautiful as ever; her blonde hair was pulled up into a stylish, messy bun, her top wrapped around her curves, and her blue jeans contrasted with her skin perfectly. I knew there was no need to, but I still felt intimidated by her. I stood from the rock.

"Rosalie, what are you doing here?" I tried not to sound alarmed.

"You hurt Emmett." She snarled, she crouched slightly, looking ready to pounce.

"Rosalie...I-I didn't mean to." I stepped back, hands raised in surrender.

"Do you even realise how much he loved you? You were a sister to him." She snarled again, followed by a deep growl.

Fight back. The voice growled. Kill her if you have to.

No, I can't. I argued back. It's Rosalie! I couldn't hurt her.

Fight B. Fight!

Rosalie advanced forward.

"Rose, I'm not going to fight you." I almost whispered, taking another step backwards.

I closed my eyes as she pounced forward, her nails and teeth glistening in the sun as she did so.

I only opened them when I heard another growl, and a huge THUD as the two bodies crashed into each other. Lorelai was standing over Rosalie's body, snarling. Aaron was also soon in the clearing, followed by Anna-Lee and Lloyd. Anna-Lee immediately approached me and embraced me in a tight hug.

"Are you okay, dear?" She asked me. I nodded, my eyes fixed on Rosalie. Aaron and Lloyd were pinning her down. I knew exactly what Lorelai was about to do. I pulled away from Anna-Lee, raised my hand and called the wind.

I call you wind, to serve me. Protect Rosalie. She needs you. Go! Now!

Lorelai flew back, before she could rip Rosalie apart, and hit a tree making it snap in half.

"B!" Lorelai screeched. "What was that for?"

"Leave Rose alone." I looked at Lloyd and Aaron, still holding on to her. They released their grasp, but Rosalie didn't leave. She stared at me, shocked. She had just tried to kill me, yet I saved her life.

"You know her?" Lloyd questioned me.

"She's a Cullen. Lola and Aaron knew that."

"Lola?" Anna-Lee looked to her daughter.

"Yeah, but she tried to kill Izzy!" Lorelai defended herself.

"Rosalie, I think you should go home." I looked at her, and she fled, probably fearing for her life.

"How could you just let her go?" Lorelai screamed at me, her eyes wide with anger.

"She was my family once, Lola. I would have done the same for you."

"Lola, Aaron, I can't believe you would try and kill Izzy's previous family. I'm deeply ashamed of you two." I watched as they both hung their heads in response to Lloyds scolding.

"It's great to see you all, but I have something I have to do." I smiled at them, and turned to leave.

"I can smell them on you, B. I know you chose to stay for them."

I turned to Anna-Lee, the others too.

"W-what did you just say?"

"I can smell them all over you. It's as prominent as our scent used to be. You've spent a lot of time with the Cullens. I'm not angry; I just wish you had told me the truth about why you chose not to move on with us." I saw nothing but sadness in her eyes.

"You treacherous bitch." Lorelai snarled.

"It's not like that! The Cullens recognised me. They had questions, and I had answers. I didn't choose them over you." I defended myself, as I watched my family's eyes show the betrayal, and sorrow.

"So you aren't back with Edward?" Aaron asked as his eyebrows rose.

"No, not even close." I said back. "I'm living at Charlie's house. You are all welcome to stay." I turned to leave again, and I heard them turn a different way. When I turned back, they had left. I felt my un-beating heart fall, and then I ran again.

When I got home, I went through my usual habit of sobbing under my bed covers. In one day, I had managed to get into a fight with a former family member, lose a whole family, and used my power against my own sister.

I wished someone was here to hold me, but as usual, I was alone. I sobbed harder, when I realised I didn't just want anyone to hold me; I wanted Edward to hold me.

***

I pounced. The deer below me struggled against my body, and after it knew I had won, it gave in. I snapped its neck, and the loud crunching sound made me jump slightly. I drank, not out of thirst, but out of boredom, from its throat. I threw the drained body in the river afterwards, disgusted with myself for taking a life without the need too. Almost 48 hours had passed since I last saw another vampire. I jumped into a tree and climbed to the top. I sat on a branch, and watched as the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I turned to see Edward sitting in the tree next to me, watching the sunset, too.

The voice in my head growled.

"It is." I simply replied, as I looked back out at the orange half-sun. My skin sparkled gently as the last rays of the day gently ran its light over my skin.

"Rose says 'Thank you'."

"Tell her she's welcome." I placed my hands in my lap, and looked down to them.

"Is something bothering you?" He asked politely.

"I'm..."

"Fine." We both said together.

"I guess I know you better than you like to think." He smiled, a crooked smile, when I looked up at him.

"I was...so sure...that I hated you. But now, I don't know." I sighed, avoiding eye contact.

You hate them. The voice tried to convince me, but I managed to shut it up too quickly.

"If it's any help, Alice is pretty mad at you."

"She should be." I muttered.

"What made you so unsure? About hating us, that is."

"I don't know." I shrugged and sighed. He waited for me to proceed. "I lost my family protecting Rosalie. And I'm not quite sure why. Why I saved her, that is."

"I can't help you, I'm afraid. That is something you need to work out on your own."

"I didn't even try to protect myself." I muttered to myself, but he heard me.

"You didn't?" He seemed shocked.

"I couldn't hurt her, Edward. A couple of months ago, I attacked Alice easily. I was so sure I hated her. So, so sure. If I wanted to, I could have killed her, and I wouldn't have regretted it. I wouldn't have thought twice. The only thing preventing me was the risk of witnesses." I whispered. He was a few metres away from me, but I knew he heard me perfectly well.

"Oh." Was all he said.

"Maybe I should go." I hopped down on to the branch below, and before I could jump to the next one, Edward was blocking my path. I backed against the tree trunk, and he placed his hands either side of my head, on the bark.

"Edward, what are you..." He put a finger on my lips, and I instantly stopped talking.

"Isabella, what would you do if I kissed you?"

I couldn't reply; I was speechless. I started a silent war inside my head.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? The voice screamed at me.

Shut up, I'm not listening to you.

Push him away, B!

Shut up.

He left you to die. The voice growled.

Shut up.

I stopped breathing the moment his lips pressed onto mine. It was a sweet, kind kiss. He pulled away too quickly for my liking.

"I love you Bella." He said, as his eyes scorched into mine. I still couldn't find my voice. There was silence between us for a minute or two. "It would be nice to hear you say something."

"I don't want you to love me." I whispered back.

Then, once again, his lips pressed to mine. There was no voice left to argue with, and I kissed him back.